Shaun Ratnam wanted a career that would make a difference to humankind, and he pursued that career to Singapore – a place with a central geographical location and sound infrastructure to support its fast-moving biomedical sciences industry. As a Senior Technical Consultant at AB SCIEX, a global leader in the development of best-in-class technologies that help answer complex scientific challenges and improve our world, Shaun is able to put his chemistry degree to use in a manufacturing environment. Though his current scope of work is focused more on people development, Shaun enjoys working for a company that creates new technology and equipment like those that can detect food contamination and pollution of the environment.

Similarly, Cheah Pei Shan was motivated to join the biomedical sciences industry to contribute to improving the quality of public health. Keen for a career that offered international exposure, she took up an internship in Singapore at Lonza, one of the world’s leading suppliers to the pharmaceutical, healthcare and life sciences industries, and subsequently converted to full-time status as a process development engineer. In her current role, Pei Shan manages equipment maintenance, conducts studies and experiments while maintaining the overall safety of the lab and working on the company’s small-scale bioreactor systems.

Read on to find out about some of the major industry players that have chosen to base themselves in Singapore – the Biomedical Sciences hub of Asia.

Headquartered in the UK, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies dedicated to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer.In Singapore, GSK brings innovative medicines to patients to fight diseases and treat illnesses, as well as vaccines to help prevent diseases. Apart from providing innovative medicines, GSK is also committed to biomedical research. A new Centre for Research in Cognitive and Neurodegenerative Disorders was built in the vibrant Biopolis in Singapore. Singapore also serves as a major hub for the Biologicals R&D Centre that is responsible for clinical trials for Australasia/Asia Pacific. Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, oral healthcare and nutritional healthcare products are also provided for millions of people in Asia by GSK Consumer Healthcare.

Singapore stands as a key strategic location of GSK’s global manufacturing and supply sites for its wide range of active pharmaceutical compounds. Furthermore, Singapore is also the site for GSK’s first primary vaccine manufacturing plant in Asia. To date, GSK’s total investment in Singapore exceeds S$1 billion.

Medtronic is the leading medical technology company, employing 45,000 people with a common commitment to alleviating pain, restoring health and extending life for millions of patients around the world. With deep roots in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, cardiac rhythm disorders, diabetes, neurological disorders and spinal conditions, urological and digestive disorders, ear, nose and throat conditions, Medtronic provides a wide range of products and therapies. Every 4 seconds, another life is improved by a Medtronic product or therapy.

Imagine playing a role in changing what it means to live with chronic disease. At Medtronic, you can. We are creating technologies that treat chronic disease in new ways so people can live better, longer. We didn’t become a global leader by sitting on the sidelines. We are actively involved in shaping the industry and transforming technologies so physicians have what they need to help their patients move forward with life. Our vision requires bold leaders. If you want a career that is challenging, energizing, and rewarding, we hope you will consider joining us as we push the boundaries of medical technology.

Novartis provides healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. Focused solely on healthcare, Novartis offers a diversified portfolio to best meet these needs: innovative medicines, eye care products, cost-saving generic pharmaceuticals, consumer health products, preventive vaccines and diagnostic tools. Novartis is the only company with leading positions in each of these areas.

With more than 120 000 associates in 140 countries worldwide, Novartis associates share a vision of a better today and tomorrow for patients – a vision that drives our growth and success. The greatest job satisfaction for our associates is the knowledge that they improve the quality of life for patients with increasing precision and efficiency through breakthrough science and innovation.

Our performance-oriented culture and responsible approach attract top experts in all areas – research and development, marketing and sales, finance and administration. Our talented associates have made us a global leader in healthcare. Novartis is committed to rewarding the people who invest ideas and work in our company.

Quintiles is the only fully integrated bio and pharmaceutical services provider offering clinical, commercial, consulting and capital solutions. More than 24,000 Quintiles employees in 60 countries helped develop or commercialize all of 2010’s top 50 best-selling products or compounds. If you thrive on work that has a broader purpose, you’ve come to the right place. As the world’s largest bio pharmaceutical services provider, we’ve spent more than 30-years changing millions of lives for the better – all over the world. Work doesn’t get much better than that.

Quintiles entered the Asia-Pacific region in 1993 and has more than 20 offices in 15 countries throughout the Asia-Pacific Region. Regionally headquartered in Singapore since 1995 as a pioneer company of the country’s biomedical industry, Quintiles employs more than 250 employees focusing on Clinical, Project Management, Central Laboratory as well as various regional and business support functions

You can be among the more than 24,000 employees around the world providing clinical, commercial, consulting, capital services. Join us as we continue on our quest to shape the New Health Landscape.

Roche is the world’s largest biotech company, global market leader for in-vitro diagnostics and pharmaceuticals. As an innovation-driven leader in healthcare, Roche aims to make a real difference in people’s lives. We are pursuing this goal by providing products and services to prevent, diagnose, treat and monitor disease. Through our strong leadership in diagnostics and pharmaceuticals, Roche is in a unique position to innovate advances across a broad spectrum of healthcare. This combination of capabilities enables us to apply our breakthrough knowledge of diseases to develop innovative products that detect and monitor disease, and help guide choice in therapy. In turn, these aid in the discovery and development of innovative medicines offering hope of higher levels of efficacy and safety.

To continue our success as a leading and innovative company, we are constantly looking for the talents of today and tomorrow. We all dream of doing big things, solving important problems, making a difference and improving lives. At Roche, we have the resources, vision and passion to transform these dreams into reality.

Contact Singapore is an alliance of the Singapore Economic Development Board and Ministry of Manpower. We engage overseas Singaporeans and global talent to work, invest and live in Singapore.

Contact Singapore actively links Singapore-based employers with professionals to support the growth of our key industries. We work with investors to realise their business and investment interests in Singapore.

For information on working, investing and living in Singapore, please visit www.contactsingapore.sg or contact our worldwide offices.

ABOUT SINGAPORE

In the heart of Asia lies Singapore – a bustling, world-class city state that has made waves around the world for its business excellence, connectivity to the world and its innovation.

Singapore has been consistently acknowledged as a global business hub – one that features developed infrastructure, political stability, open business policies, a skilled workforce, the use of English as the main working language and respect for intellectual property rights. Many multinational companies have chosen to set up their bases in Singapore, next to 154,000 small and medium enterprises. Business owners all over the world regard Singapore as an ideal location to grow their businesses, with many of them using the country as a springboard to tap into other emerging markets in Asia.

Besides being ranked by the World Bank in 2012 as the world’s easiest place to do business (out of 183 countries), Singapore has, among its many accolades, the top ranking in the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2011 as being the most competitive economy in the world. Singapore was also ranked by the Mercer 2011 Quality of Living Survey as the top Asian country for its quality of life.

Global talent are attracted to Singapore’s meritocratic society that embraces diversity, and a high quality of life in a cosmopolitan environment.